Apparatus for electrically stopping railway-trains



(No Model.) W Q SHAFPER.

APPARATUS FR ELEGTRIGALLY STOPPING RAILWAY TRAINS,`

SIGNALING dw.

atented WITNESSESI N. Pneus, Pnawumugnpm, wnmngmn, D. c.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. SHAFFER, OF PHILADELPHIA,l PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE RAILROAD SAFETY LOOK AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICALLY STOPPING RAILWAY-TRAINS, SIGNAIIING, &c.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 250,173, dated November 29, 1881A. Application filed July 14, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. SHAEEER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful trically stopping trains; and it consists, iirst, in the combination, with an arm carried by a movin gtrain, and mechanism connected to said arm to stop said train, of a device on the line of way to engage with said arm, lockin g mechanism for holding said device rigid, an electric circuit, and devices caused by the breaking of said circuit to actuate said locking mechanism second, in the combination, with a switch and a circuit-breaking device attached thereto, of an electro-magnet and armature controlled by said switch, an arm which is rigid when said circuit is broken, locking devices for said arm controlled by said magnet, an arm carried by the train, and brakes or other stopping mechanism connected thereto operated by the latter arm; third, of an arm carried by a train and operating the brakes or other stopping mechanism thereof, in combination with a stationary device for engaging with said arm, an electro magnet, circuit wires, and circuitbreaking devices, a lever operated in one direction by said magnet and by gravity in the opposite direction, and lockin g devices engaged or operated by said lever, whereby the breaking of the electric circuit will cause the locking of the device that engages with the arm or lever; fourth, of a rigid device for engaging with a brake-operatin g arm carried by a locomotive,in combination with mechanism for mechanically locking said device when the electric circuit is broken, an electro-magnet which is arranged to unlock the same when `magnet:- ized, the circuit-wires of said magnet, and an arm arranged to be struck by an attachment of a passing train, so as to close said circuit and effect such magnetization and unlocking. It finally consists-in the mechanism for operating the signaling devices, and in further improvemeutsl for operating the train-stopping devices, as hereinafter more particularly set forth.

Referring to the drawings, A represents switch-rails, which, in the present case, are of well-known form and construction. Y

B represents a rotary disk, which is horizontally mounted in a box, B, adjacent to the head ends of the switch-rails, and provided with contact-points C Cf, for the ends of electric conductor H, which are connected to the box B, said disk B being attached to the rails A, so as to be rotated by the .movement of said rails, whereby the contact-point C may be moved to and from the end ot the wire H, and thus close and open the electric circuit. This disk is connected to one of the said switch-rails by a rod or link, Z, so that the motion of the switch and switch-rails from side to side gives a partial rotary movement to said disk. I do uot,how ever, limit myselfto the rotary disk B, as other means operated by the movemeutofthe switchrails may be adopted for connecting and separating the point G and wire H.

At intervals of the road there are located boxes, frames, or inclosures D, cach containing electric magnets E and an armature, F. The magnets are arranged horizontally, and the armature is connected to or formed with a block, F', which is suspended from the box by means of arms-F.

Adjacent to the magnets E is mounted a hinged or pivoted lever, G, which is adapted to move to and from an electric wire, H, and is connected to an electric wire, J.

Attached to the block F of the armature, or

the suspension-rods thereof, is an arm, K, to

which is pivoted an elbow-lever, L, which is properly supported in the box D, and has one limb, L', so disposed that it may strike the lever Gr. When the armature is attracted by the magnets the arm K is moved inwardly and the limb L' strikes the lever G and forces the latter to engaging contact with the wire H, thus closing the electric circuit.

M represents a foot, which is connected to a swinging shaft, M', mounted on the box D, and so arranged that it may be depressed by a bar or rod, N, on the locomotive-engine.

Suspended from the shaft M is a hanger or arm, P, so disposed that it may strike the le- Ver G on the side opposite yto the limb L of the elbow-lever L. Itis evident that when the lever G is Y.in contact withthe wire H and rotation is imparted to the shaft M' by the depression of the foot M the arm P strikes said lever G and forces it from the wire H, thus breaking the electric circuit.

Suspended from the shaft M' or the foot M is a rod or bar, Q, whose lower end is adjacent to the block F', so that when the armature is attracted by the magnets E and held thereagainst the block F does not interfere with the swinging of the rod or bar Q and freedom of the foot M, so that the latter may beV depressed without other service. When, however, the armature is released and moves outt wardly the block F' occupies such position that it is in the path of rotation of the rod Q, and consequently acts as a stop. thus preventing movement of the foot M and holding it rigid. Now, when the train approaches, the bar N strikes the foot M, and is thereby lifted. Attached to said bar N are levers or mechanism connected to the whistle, the steam or air brakes, and steam-pipe of the cylinders of the engine. Consequently when the barNis raised the whistle is sounded., the brakes are applied, and steam cutoi', thus announcing danger, and stopping the train.

As the foot M is an important factor, and its freedom of motion or rigidity depends on the position of the block Fl of the armature F, it is essential to state how electric circuits are closed and broken, whereby the armatures are attracted and held and released. I employ the wires H and J, which have been referred to, and wires R, which extend from the magnets to the feed-cable S, and wires T, which extend from the wires J to the circuit-closing levers U, which are mounted in boxes or receptacles some distance-saya mile-from the boxes D, each of said levers U being weighted and provided with a disk, a, having an insulated and uninsulated surface, with which is in contact a iinger, V. A wire, V', is attached to the nger V, and leads to the feed-cable S, and the wire T is attached to the disk a of the lever U. When the switch of the railroad is properly -set for the main line, the circuit of the wires B" B'" H J is closed, and the several armatures are held in contact with the magnets. A train approaching the switch may depress the foot or arm M without the operation of the bar N, as the road is clear, and no occasion exists for sounding the alarm or stopping the train. The armatures are attached and held by the electric current which passes from the wire H through circuit-closing lever G to wire J, and then to magnet E, and out through It to feeder S. Should, however, the switch A be displaced or open, the circuit ofthe wire H at B" B' is broken, and the armatures in the boxes are immediately released. The block F' now prevents movement of the rod Q, thus holding the feet M immovable, whereby the approaching train has its bar N raised by the foot it first reaches, and immediately the danger is announced and the train stopped. Should one train be following another on the same track, the train ahead, having passed the point I and caused shaft M' to rotate with arm P, causes said arm to throw the leverG from the wire H, and thus breaks circuit at that point, thus compelling hind train to stop. The last car of the train is provided with a suitable projection, P', adapted to strike the lever U. Now, when said last car passes point 2 the pro- `jection P' strikes the lever U, and causes it to rotate, so that the conducting part of the disk a comes in contact with the finger V, thus causing a temporary circuit through wire T to wire J to the magnet at point l, and closing the circuit at said point by throwing the elbow-lever L against circuit-closer G and wires H J.

In singletrack roads, where trains approach each other, there is a double set of magnets or track apparatus, and the wire H is connected with a magnet at one end of the section and a magnet at the other end, so that when the circuit is broken on one magnet it is at the same instant broken on the other. t

Attached to box D is a lam p-frame or signalbox, W, shaped like an upright parallelogram, and a rod,'Y, connected to the armature F, surmounted byan annulus, X, which latter is of the same height and mounted on a line with lamp-frame W. Now, it is evident that when armatureF is released rod Yassumes a perpendicular position, andthe solid part of the annulus X covers hole in lamp-frame, and the whole signal assumes an irregular form; but when circuit is closed and armature F drawn in to magnet E rod Y moves so that the holes IOO IIO

are coincident, and the light shows through.

The boxes can be placed at such intervals as may be determined, and between each two boxes that are connected may be placed another box, the magnets whereofl are connected with the one adjacent in either direction, tbusforming a complete interlocking system and providing two stops between the engine and point of danger.

The rails may be used as a conductor in place of wire H,iu which case broken rails will cause broken circuits.

Having thus described myinventiomwhatl claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In combination with an arm carried by a moving train, and mechanism connected to said arm t0 stop said train, a device on the` line of way to engage with said arm, locking mechanism for holding said device rigid, an electric circuit, and devices caused by the breaking Of said circuit to actuate said locking mechanism.

2. In combination with a switch and a circuit-breaking device attached thereto, an electro-magnet and armature controlled by said switch, an arm which is rigid when said circuit is broken, locking devices for said arm controlled by said magnet, an arm carried by the train, and brakes Or other stopping mechanism connected thereto and operated by the latter arm, substantially as set forth.

3. .An arm carried by a train and operatin g the brakes Or other stoppingmechanism thereof, in combination with a stationary device for engaging with said arm, an electro-magnet, circuit-Wires and circuit-breakin g devices, a lever operated in one direction by said magnet and by gravity in the Opposite direction, and locking devices engaged or operated by said lever, Wherely the breaking Of the electric circuit Will cause the locking of the device that engages with the arm Or lever.

4. A rigid device for engaging with a brakeoperating arm carried bya locomotive, in combination with mechanism for mechanically locking said device when the electric circuit is y broken, an electro-magnet which is arranged to be struck by an attachment of a passing train, so as to close said circuit and effect such magnetization and unlocking.

5. In combination with shaft M', having arms M and P, the circuit-breaking lever G, magnet E, electric connections, and locking levers, whereby the breaking ot' the circuit causes the locking of arm M, substantially as set forth.

6. The elbow-lever L and arm K, in combination with locking-arms F', carrying armature F, the electro-magnet E, arm V, and circuitmaking devices operated tl1ereby,which cause the magnetizingof said magnet When said arm V is struck by an attachment of a passing train, and thereby also cause elbow-lever l to bear againstlever Gand replace the latter in circuitclosing position, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of leverY and a signal operated thereby with armature F, attached to said lever, electro-magnet E, arm Q on shaft M', and circuit-breaking devices to signal danger when the circuit is broken, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of'lever Y and a signal apparatus operated thereby with armature F,

attached to said lever, electro-magnet E, arm Q, shaft M', having arm M, circuit-Wires for said magnet, and circuit-breaking devices to signal danger when the circuitis broken, substantially as set forth.

WILLIAM C. SHAFFER. Witnesses:

JOHN A.W1EDERsHnrM, F. COOPER. 

